At birth, primitive reflexes are present to assist with survival—many of these reflexes begin developing in utero. These involuntary movement patterns are essential for keeping the newborn alive and supporting neurological and physical development throughout infancy.

Primitive reflexes are expected to integrate naturally over time, primarily through movement and the achievement of developmental milestones, such as head control, tummy time, crawling, rolling etc.

When a specific reflex is retained beyond the typical age of integration, it can impact a particular area of development. This may interfere with a child’s ability to participate effectively in everyday activities. Furthermore, because many reflexes are interrelated, the retention of one often suggests that others may also be retained.

When children retain primitive reflexes, they will often struggle with:

-       Social skills

-       Coordination for playing games or sports

-       Poor eye-hand and eye-foot coordination

-       Emotional regulation

-       Problem solving

-       Focusing in class

-       Reading & writing

-       Anxiety

-       Picky eating

-       Bed Wetting

-       Speech / articulation

When your child swings and soars with our team, our unique Occupational Therapy based approach incorporates Primitive Reflex Integration techniques to strengthen motor skills and support sensory integration.